Conventional Schottky diodes, also known as metal-semiconductor diodes are associated with bipolar fabrication processes. In such processes, a Schottky diode is oriented vertically. For example, a Schottky diode cathode may be formed at a buried N+ layer, which is similar to a subcollector region in an NPN bipolar transistor. This "subcollector" region may be coupled to a semiconductor surface by an N+ region, which is similar to a deep collector in an NPN bipolar transistor. This "deep collector" region couples to a contact. An N- semiconducting layer may reside between the buried N+ "subcollector" layer and the semiconductor surface. A metal layer may then reside on the semiconductor surface in contact with this N- semiconductor layer. A contact couples to the metal layer. Consequently, the boundary between the metal layer and the N- layer forms a rectifying junction, the boundary between the contact and the N+ "deep collector" region forms an ohmic junction, and the resulting Schottky diode is vertically oriented.
Since CMOS processes typically do not include similarly doped buried layers, the conventional Schottky devices may be adapted to a CMOS process only at great expense and complication. Consequently, a need exists for a laterally oriented Schottky diode that conforms to typical CMOS processes.